Plan for new UCD Confucius Institute

A NEW planning application for a Chinese centre of learning at the UCD campus in south county Dublin has been lodged with Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council.

The new building will house the Chinese Government’s UCD Confucius Institute, which works with the Irish Government, businesses and academia to develop stronger ties between the two countries.

There are currently around 600 Chinese students studying at UCD and around 5,200 students in Ireland of all nationalities undertake courses offered at the Confucius Institute every year.
Established in 2006, the Institute is a joint venture between the Chinese Government, Renmin University of China and UCD.

Its aim is to raise an awareness of Chinese culture in Ireland and develop teaching and research in Chinese studies. The UCD institute is one of hundreds established worldwide over the past decade, some of which have attracted controversy and criticism.

Over the past two months USA universities in Chicago and Penn State have terminated agreements with their Confucius Institutes but the UCD facility has received widespread praise in Ireland and the university is keen to strengthen its links with China.

DCU’s global engagement strategy includes the establishment of a centre in Beijing, which will share premises with the Chinese Irish Embassy and Enterprise Ireland.
Last week, President of UCD, Professor Andrew Deeks, spoke about the opportunities that exist between China and Ireland.

“Ireland and China hold education in very high regard and recognise the contribution education makes to economic prosperity,

? he said.

“The success of the Confucius Institute at UCD, which is linked with Renmin University, has already created a real bridge between the two countries.

?

The new

?¬7 million building at the UCD Confucius Institute is being supported by a

?¬3 million investment from both the Irish and Chinese governments, with the remaining funding coming from UCD.

A foundation stone for the building was unveiled earlier this summer and the planning application for the three-storey structure was lodged last month. According to the application, the 2,058.9 sq mt building will be built on a 4,439 sq mt site adjacent to the UCD Engineering and Materials
Science centre and the attenuation lake on campus.

It will include teaching areas, a library exhibition space, a restaurant and offices for visiting lecturers. There’ll also be a paved roof terrace on the first floor, an entrance plaza and an access ramp leading up from the lake.

The new facility has been welcomed by local councilor Victor Boyhan (Ind).

“I have studied in detail the planning application documentation and am very excited as to the great possibilities this project will potentially have for the county and country,

? he said.

The final date for observations on the plan is November 11, with a decision expected from the council later in the month.